Step-ladder.



w. T, PYLE. STEP LADDER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, 1914.

1,158,716. Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

WHIM coo v ILLIAM 'nPYLE, or NORMAL, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR To COMPANY, or PEKIN, ILLINOIS.

SAFETY FOLDING LADDER STEP-LADDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

Application filed June 8, 1914. Serial No. 843,768.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM T. PYLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Normal, in the county of McLean, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Step-Ladders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention is directed to step ladders, and has for its object to so construct a device of this character that the same can be easily and quickly folded when not in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a folding step ladder, which isexceedingly simple in construction, and one which when unfolded will have the desired rigidity.

With these and other objects in view, this invention resides in the novel features of construction, formation, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a front view of the device. Fig. 2 is a side view, Fig. 3 is a front view of the same folded. Fig. 4 is a fragmental side view of the device folded.

Referring to the drawing the numeral 1 designates the side rails of the ladder, which rails consist of spaced strips 2 and between which are pivotally connected the ends of the rungs 3.

Pivotally connected between the upper ends of the rails 1 and to the rearmost strips 2 are brace legs 4 which are held in their spaced operative position by pivotally connected metallic brace bars 5 which are pivoted to the said brace legs, as at 4', and each detachably secured with the opposite leg by a notch in its end, which engages a stud 10 on the leg.

A platform 6 is hingedly mounted on the 7 upper ends of the rails 1 by eye bolts 7 mounted on the under face of the said platform 6 and extending downwardly at right angles thereto, which eye bolts areengaged by hooks 7 the said hooks being mounted in the front strips 2 on the rails 1. These hogks are secured in place by nuts 8 on their on s.

In order that the brace legs and rails may be held in their operative positions jointed side braces 9 are provided, which side braces are pivoted to the rails and to the brace legs so that when the brace legs are swungtoward the rails said side braces will be folded.

When it is desired to fold the ladder it is only necessary to brake the jointed side bars and to swing the legs 4against the rearmost strips 20f the rails 1, it being understood that during this operation the jointed side braces are folded. The brace bars 5 are then disengaged from the studs 10 and one rail 1 is swung toward the other rail-about the pivots of the rungs 3. At this time one of the brace legs 4 swings toward the other and the rungs 3 and platform 6 swing into alinement with the folded rails and legs, it being understood that the hook and eye connection between the platform and the rails allows such movement. It is also to be understood that during the folding of the brace legs 4 toward the rails 1 the platform is swung out of a vertical plane into a horizontal plane aboutthe hook and eye connections as pivots.

From the foregoing description it may be seen that I have provided a ladder which may be readily folded so as to occupy a very small space, the rails and brace legs being folded upon each other so as to lie in contact and the rungs and platform also swung into alinement with the rails.

I do not wish to be limited to the particular embodiment of my invention, for it is obvious that numerous changes may be made within the scope ofthe invention as defined by the claim.

What is claimed is e A step ladder comprising rails which consists of spaced parallel strips, rungs pivotally secured between said strips, brace legs pivoted to the rearmost of said strips, the said rails being adapted to swing together and the forward faces of the front strips thereof to lie in the same plane, and a platform mounted on the upper ends of the In testimony whereof, I my signs front strips and adapted to swing so as to ture, in the presence of two Witnesses."

lie in front of the front strips and in a plane WILLIAM T. PYLE.

parallelto the plane of thQfOI'WEL-I'dfaCBS of Witnesses! V 5 the sz'iid front strips when the latter are H. J L SCHE/MBER,"

swung together. A. G. CONAGHAN.

Copies of this patent be obtainedfor-fitreeents eacli by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, 110. 

